The miserable life of Severus Snape - One-Shot-Collection
by Liz Jean Tonks
Summary: This is a collection of One-Shots, all with (young) Snape as a main character. Most of these will be canon-compliant


A/N: Part of:

**The Golden Snitch**:

[School/House] Hogwarts/Hufflepuff

[Event/Prompt] Back to school/**1 Cauldron - **_Write from Professor Snape's POV_

[Word Count] 1064

_**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: **__Hogwarts Game Night Club/__Dare – Relationship: Mother/Son_

_**Are you crazy enough to do it Challenge **__prompt:184. (drink) Vodka_

_Thanks so much to my Beta, NinjaDevil2000! _

* * *

Severus tried to concentrate. He was holding the quill with both hands while he tried to make his letters look more readable. His mother, who sat next to him, looked up.

"Just one hand, Severus," she said. She sounded a little irritated and exhausted, but maybe that was simply because at the moment, there came a clattering sound from the oven and she had to jump up and take care of the soup she was preparing for dinner. Severus clenched his teeth and continued writing. His mother had assigned him to finish the page before tonight.  
Severus' handwriting wasn't good, and he couldn't help but feel ashamed of it. His parents hadn't cared much about their son's education, until his Hogwarts letter had flown in and Eileen had realised that at Hogwarts, Severus would need to be able to read and write. She was trying her luck with maths as well, but she wasn't a great teacher, and Severus wasn't the best student. At least not when it was his mother who tutored him.

"Damn," she cursed. Severus looked up. Half of the soup had spilled all over the kitchen floor. Eileen glanced at the clock. It was half past eight and Severus' father would be home from work any moment.

Severus continued writing, but his mum wasn't paying attention to him anymore anyways. She seemed to be busy cleaning up the mess and somehow saving the rest of the remaining soup.

"Move," she said in an annoyed voice to Severus. He quickly moved his chair sideways and made room so she was able to clean below the table. Just when he had sat down again and continued with his work, he heard the the keys in the doorlock.

Tobias Snape was home.

Eileen quickly stepped out of the kitchen into the entrance room.

"Good evening, Tobias," she said, and Severus recognized how different her voice sounded when she spoke to her husband.

"Evening," he heard his father say. "What's for dinner? I'm starving. And get me a glass of vodka, I need one after today." He entered the kitchen and a crease appeared between his eyes when he spotted Severus. "Shouldn't you already be in bed?" he grunted.

Severus didn't reply, but he squirmed uncomfortably on his chair.

Even though he tried to concentrate on his school work, he couldn't help but glance over to his father who was now examining the pots on the oven.

"What's this supposed to be?"

Eileen hurried to answer him. "A soup with potatoes."

Tobias sat down on the table without another word, but every inch of his body showed that he was in a bad mood. It wasn't new for Severus, though; he couldn't remember the last time his father had been in a good mood.

Severus' hand was shaking a little as he continued writing; it made him uncomfortable that his father was watching him. From beside him, he could hear a groan.

"Eileen, why isn't the boy in bed already? You know I can't deal with him when I come home from work."

Eileen placed the glass of vodka on the table. Tobias emptied it in one go.

"Severus," she said. "Go and finish this in your room, will you?"

Severus, glad to be dismissed, stood up and went up the staircases to his room. But through the thin walls he could still overhear his parents' conversation perfectly. They did not eat in quiet; or more, his father didn't eat in quiet.

"Today has been exhausting," he grumbled.. "And when I come home, all I get for dinner is this garbage. Is it so difficult for you to prepare a meal that actually tastes good?"

Severus couldn't hear his mother's reply, because she spoke in a very soft voice.

"And the kitchen isn't cleaned, either," Tobias went on after a moment."You would think that you had all the time in the world. After all, I'm the only one working in this house."

Severus' fingers held on to the quill tightly and he tried to concentrate on his work. He'd finish writing this and then he'd go to bed, and when he woke up, his father would have already left for work, and they'd have their peace again.

"Tell me," he could hear Tobias' disapproving voice. "Have you been spending the whole day with that son of yours rather than finishing your chores?"

This time, his mother replied in a louder voice, one which Severus could hear. "Severus has nothing to do with this!" she said. "Please leave him out of this. You know I try my best, but this house is a lot of work if you're all on your own –"

"Oh, you have so much work to do," his father rumbled. "What am I supposed to say? I'm the one to earn the money here!"

"Tobias, please," she said in a pleading voice. "Let's not have this discussion again, let's just – "

"What discussion?" Severus heard a bang that sounded like a chair had been knocked over. "How about if you showed at least a tiny bit of gratitude? You and Severus, you're all the same, you take everything for granted."

"That's not true – "

His mother didn't get any further. Severus heard another bang and then a smacking noise. The kitchen door was slammed shut and someone – Severus figured it was his father – stomped up the staircases into his parents' bedroom.

Severus put down the quill. He was sure that his mother didn't care whether he fulfilled the assignment or not. He was surprised when he heard her coming up the stairs and into his room.

She was carrying a plate with soup. "Here," she said and placed it on the dresser. "Eat, and then go to bed. We'll proceed with the lessons tomorrow."

She didn't look at him, but Severus could see that her eyes were red and that she had been crying.

"Good night," she said, turning around.

"Good night," he said quietly, but she was already out the door. Slowly, Severus sat down on his bed and started spooning the soup.

It had already gotten cold. Eileen had gone back to the living room; a few minutes later, they were shouting at each other again.

Severus closed his eyes and rolled himself together in his bed. He wished this nightmare would end one day.


End file.
